The North East brewers had used LPG-powered forklifts to move kegs in the warehouses, resulting in between 20-30 gas cylinders being used each week to maintain operations.
That left the business with extended downtime periods when employees would have to change over the LPG tanks for the forklifts.
Looking for a faster, and more energy-efficient solution, in July 2020 the brewery collaborated with Jungheinrich to trial lithium-ion forklift trucks.
The trial has discovered some operational benefits, according to Jungheinrich. The fast and short interim charging times enable the virtually continuous operation of fleets on a 24x7 basis and no gases or acids are emitted by lithium-ion batteries, meaning that charging stations equipped with expensive exhaust systems are no longer necessary.
In addition, switching to lithium-ion immediately reduced the levels of air pollution within the indoor spaces, as well as noise pollution.
Richard Forster, Logistics Manager at Camerons Brewery said: “The switch to lithium-ion trucks was simple and seamless, we were able to see the benefits straight away and it works perfectly with the attachments and clamps we require to move our kegs. The cost savings were a no-brainer for us, and we’re very pleased to be doing our part in reducing our carbon footprint.”
Cost savings from the switch are estimated to exceed £15,000 per year over three to five forklifts.